The Fated Encounter
by Fragments of Time
Summary: The first time he met her, while she was trying to escape the fate being forced upon her. Set shortly after the flashback case in AAI.


The first time he saw her, she was sitting in an alley, too drunk to remember where she lived.

"This isn't a safe place." he told her, "It's dark, and you're in an alley in a bad area."

She looked at him, "I don't care what happens to me anymore."

He sat down next to her. Seeing her confusion at his action, he told her, "Lang Zi says: If there's a person in trouble, someone's gotta help them... even if it's a stranger."

"I'm not in trouble. I'm just drunk off my ass right now. I'll be fine once I'm sober."

He considered this, "There's gotta be a reason you got so drunk like this, so my words still stand."

"It's none of your business." she replied defensively, "It's none of... your business..." she averted her gave to her right, eyes covered by her bangs.

He watched her, unsure what to say. She had brown eyes that almost seemed red, though maybe it was nothing more than the light. Her hair was very pale, almost to the point of appearing white. Perhaps the result of a failed attempt to bleach her hair blond? "No, I suppose it is none of my business... but I want to help you. And I can't help much if I don't know what's wrong." he explained, "My name is Shi-Long Lang. What's yours?"

"I have nothing left." she whispered, hugging herself. "Not even a name." She was sick of it. She had to create false identities... she had to kill him, of all people... and now she was to create a new identity? How many people would she have to kill this time, regardless of how she felt about them? She was sick of listening to this leader. He entrusted these to her because she was competent. She wouldn't get caught. But she wanted out now. Making her kill him was too much.

"Then maybe..." he stood up and extended a hand to her, "...it's a good time for you to start all over."

She shook her head, "How I wish I could..." her voice shook, "But I can't. Even if I changed my identity to avoid him, that wouldn't work. Besides, I have a child. I can't leave her... though I don't want her involved." She thought of her little girl, at home with 'Uncle Badd', still mourning the death of her father.

"Where is she now?" he asked, seeing her problems were clearly not going to be so easily solved. He sat back down.

"At home with a best friend of her father's. He's like an uncle to her."

He considered asking about the father, but thought better of it upon looking at her expression.

She stood up, somehow stumbling although she stood still, "You don't want to get involved with me. Trust me, you don't." She started to try to run away.

He stood, about to follow her. He didn't think about the fact that, really, it was none of his business, nor that he could be called a stalker for following.

His concern proved to be justified, as she soon collapsed. When she didn't get up, he rushed to her side, "Are you alright?!"

She was unconscious.

"Probably from too much alcohol..." he mused, "What do I do with her now...?"

She woke up. Her head was killing her, and she felt sick. More importantly, though, this wasn't her house.

"You're awake." Lang observed, "How do you feel?"

"Where am I...?"

"My house. You collapsed and I didn't know where else to take you... so I brought you here."

"Oh. Thanks... but please don't talk so loud."

"Yeah, sorry - I guess you must be pretty hungover. Eat this, it should help." he tossed her some bread

Reflexively, she caught it. "Thank you, Mr. Lang. This may sound cliche, but... I am in your debt."

"Nah, it's no problem." he decided to make conversation, "So what do you call yourself?" Even if she had no name, surely there had to be something people called her.

She thought about it and decided to make up a new alias. "Call me... Shih-na."

He nodded, "Alright, Shih-na."

She then noticed something on the desk next to the bed. It was a badge. Seeing that, she knew she couldn't escape her fate. Her path was already set for her, and it was impossible to stray from it. "Mr. Lang - or should I say, Interpol Agent Lang? - please... make me an Interpol agent." She hated her destiny, but clearly it was inevitable. This is what he wanted; he wanted her to disguise herself as an agent working on the smuggling ring. Apparently, no matter how she tried to escape it, in the end she had no choice.

"Very well... Agent Shih-na."


End file.
